9 Content-Driven Link Building Tips

By Paul Roetzer | Posted March 17, 2010 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Content Marketing, Internet Marketing, Search Marketing

Google’s Webmaster Central Channel on YouTube is one of my favorite sources of information for marketers, and today it was my inspiration for a blog post. The Channel features short videos of Matt Cutts, head of Google’s Webspam team, answering user-submitted questions.

It’s the perfect example of how organizations can use video to give their brands personality, connect with audiences in more authentic ways and bring true value to the online community.

One of Matt’s recent videos addressed the most effective ways to build organic links:

As we discussed in the Inbound Marketing GamePlan eBook, “in order to grow smarter and faster than the competition, organizations must maintain powerful and informative Websites, participate in social media and continually publish great content through blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, case studies, white papers, eBooks and articles.”

Matt’s video reinforces a number of these points, and offers some additional ideas on how to participate, and what to publish in order to build links, relationships and brand:

1) Participate in the Community

It seems so obvious, but many organizations and professionals are still sitting on the sidelines. Get in the game!

Answer questions on social networks, contribute reviews on products and services, and add value to other people’s blog posts by leaving comments. Helping people may not bring an immediate link, but it does build goodwill, which often goes much further than a link.

Matt cautions to avoid controversy though in social media. We all know bloggers and commenters who spend their lives projecting their negativity onto others, and while we may read, and even react, from time to time, “people will end up paying less attention to you,” so don’t rely on controversy to consistently build links.

Social media is not as simple as creating profiles on each social networking site and making random posts. It's about listening, learning, building relationships and bringing value to the communities relevant to your organization.

Social media, when connected to search marketing, content marketing and public relations strategies, can help your organization boost search engine rankings, build relationships, manage and strengthen your brand, and enhance your positioning as a thought leader and innovator.

As Matt points out, you might even begin to earn speaking opportunities as a result of your social media activity.

2) Publish Original Research

This is one of our favorite strategies because great original research can be an asset in your search, social, content and PR strategies, and have a direct affect on your organization’s ability to generate leads and build customer loyalty:

• Search Marketing: Drives Website traffic and builds links, which help boost search engine rankings.
• Social Media & Content Marketing: Contributes valuable content to the online community, which helps to establish and strengthen relationships while enhancing your brand positioning and thought leadership.
• Public Relations: Provides unique content for targeted publicity efforts that support media relations and brand-building activities.

Here are a few examples of original research in action:

• 2010 State of the Inbound Marketing Report — HubSpot.com
• 2010 Content Marketing Spending Report — Junta42.com
• Top PR Firms Fail to Make the Grade Online — PR2020.com
• 2010 Consumer Luggage Report — Suitcase.com [PR 20/20 client]

3) Distribute Email Newsletters

Opt-in email newsletters are still effective vehicles to drive traffic, build blog subscribers and enhance engagement with your audiences.

Every organization should consider newsletters as part of its content strategy.

4) Use Lists (in Moderation)

We all create and click on them (otherwise you wouldn’t be here now), but Matt advises to use lists in moderation, as they do, “tend to get a little tiresome after a while.”

5) Get a Blog

This one speaks for itself. According to Matt, “There’s no excuse for a company these days not to have a blog.” And I agree 100 percent.

6) Provide How Tos and Tutorials

How tos and tutorials, including videos like Matt’s, are excellent ways to provide value and position yourself or your organization as a thought leader.

Consider offering a series of educational posts as part of your blog editorial calendar.

7) Release a Free Product or Service

Free tools can be great link builders and resources. While we’re not all developers with the resources to create powerful tools like HubSpot’s Website Grader, think about what your organization can offer that will generate links, and even leads.

8) Maintain Good Site Architecture

Make it easy on Google, and other search engines, to find and index your entire site. Visit Google Webmaster Tools to get started.

9) Make a Few Videos

If you’re not convinced of the power and impact of videos, according to a recent TechCrunch article, “Forrester Research found that videos were 53 times more likely than traditional web pages to receive an organic first-page ranking.”

So needless to say, video is important. Check out these posts to learn more:

• 6 Simple Steps to Creating Online Marketing Videos —HubSpot.com
• How Web Video is Finally Coming of Age — Mashable.com
• Search Engine Success: Getting Video SEO Right — SearchEngineWatch.com

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

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